Cleveland

EXPERIENCE CLEVELAND

I have visited Cleveland more times than I’ve visited any other city in the world. My husband is from Fairview Park, a western suburb of Cleveland. And most of the friends I met in college (Bowling Green State University) are from Cleveland. The residents of greater Cleveland are proud and boastful of their city and super enthusiastic about their Midwestern lifestyle. However, I never really quite understood its attraction until this past summer. Cleveland is a post-industrial city worth vacationing in and exploring. The city is currently undergoing a massive transformation with developers pumping millions of dollars into the city. Just last month, the 2014 Gay Games was held in Cleveland. Exciting news about Lebron James returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers is making headlines. The Republican National Convention will be held in Cleveland in 2016. All of these amazing changes will undoubtedly convert Cleveland from “rust belt” blue-collar city into a stylishly steel hip city complete with neoclassical architecture, postmodern historic bridges, state of the art museums, trendy restaurants and unique boutique. Cleveland is a remarkable family oriented midwestern city that I highly recommend. Here are my favorite picks for a fun filled family vacation.

 STAY

• Ritz Carlton Cleveland, 1515 West Third Street, Cleveland OH. Ask about their “Ritz Kids Program” for your little ones. Appropriate for kids ages 5 to 12, Ritz Carlton aims to delight your children by making memories that will last beyond their stay at the luxury family hotel. A junior suite will certainly create a comfortable home away from home for the entire family.
• ALOFT Cleveland, 1111 W. 10th Street, Cleveland. Ask about “Camp Aloft”. Appropriate for ages 12 and under, Aloft offers kids sized air mattresses complete with fun kid’s bedding and lots of yummy snacks.

EXPLORE

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Cleveland Botancial Garden
• Cleveland Museum of Art
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
• Cleveland Aquarium Great Lakes Science Center
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History
• Playhouse Square Center
• Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art
• USS Cod Submarine Memorial
• West Side Market –an astounding collection of over 180 booths of ethnic food at this legendary food market
• Memphis Kiddie Park
• Children’s Museum of Cleveland
• Cruise Lake Erie on Goodtime III
• Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Learning Center and Money Museum

EAT

• Town Hall (Ohio City)
• L’Albatros Brasserie
• Lola’s
• Ken Stewarts (Downtown Cleveland)
• Muse (inside the Ritz Carlton Cleveland)
• Georgetown
• Blue Point Grill
• Ginko
• Toast
• Luxe Kitchen & Lounge
• The Willeyville
• Zanzibar Soul Fusion
• Sokolowski’s University Inn: A Cleveland staple. This is Cleveland’s oldest family owned restaurant.

Cleveland Beaches Cleveland actually has a few beaches that may actually surprise you! Pack a picnic, some blankets, swimsuits, sunglasses & check them out.

• Edgewater Beach
• Huntington Beach Park
• Rocky River Park

Cleveland Sports

Cleveland has three major professional sports teams. Check out a game!

• Cleveland Browns
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Cleveland Indians

Happy Traveling! If you have any questions or tips about Cleveland that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Positively Cleveland & The Ritz Carlton Cleveland for partnering on this trip!